Relationship between Patient Experience Scores and Health Insurance

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Healthcare Policy
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Patient experience is a key metric in value-based healthcare reimbursement models.
• Understanding factors influencing patient experience is crucial for healthcare providers.
• This study investigates the link between health insurance status and patient-reported healthcare quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if health insurance type is associated with patient experience ratings.
• To analyze how different insurance plans affect patient satisfaction with healthcare services.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys (MEPS).
• Included individual-level demographic, health, and patient experience data.
• Employed logistic regression analysis on adults (18+) with complete data.

Main Results:

• Adults without health insurance (18-64) were less likely to rate their care highly (OR: 0.69, p=0.015) compared to privately insured individuals.
• Medicare beneficiaries (65+) reported higher satisfaction (OR: 1.34, p=0.002).
• Those with dual Medicare/private insurance also reported higher satisfaction (OR: 1.48, p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Specific health insurance types correlate with patient satisfaction levels.
• Findings suggest insurance coverage plays a role in perceived healthcare quality.
• Insights can inform targeted interventions to enhance patient experience across diverse insurance groups.